How to Make Hard Taco Shells

Homemade Taco Shells will take your Taco Tuesdays to the next level. It’s simple to make restaurant-style taco shells at home with this step-by-step guide. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is. 

We love Taco Recipes from fish tacos to beef tacos. If you are a fan of tacos too, this Hard Taco Shells recipe is a must-try.

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Hard Taco Shells Recipe

Have you ever bought a package of hard taco shells at the grocery store, only to open it up and realize that every single shell was broken? So much for Taco Night—now it’s Taco Salad night instead.

You will never have that problem with homemade taco shells. Instead of sitting on the store shelf for months (or getting dropped in the box and smashing into dozens of pieces), homemade taco shells are served fresh, warm, crispy, and perfect.

These homemade hard taco shells will make your tacos taste like they came from a restaurant, and they’re so easy to make, it takes just minutes on the stovetop for a big batch. Scale the recipe up or down and use them for shrimp tacos, Carne Asada Street Tacos, and Korean Beef Tacos – whatever you like.

DIY Hard Taco Shell Video

Watch Natasha make these crispy hard taco shells. You will be surprised at how easy it is.

The Best Homemade Taco Shells

Just like Homemade Taco Seasoning, homemade taco shells taste better than storebought. Here’s why we love this recipe:

• Irresistibly crunchy – Sometimes store-bought hard taco shells can be stale and limp, but homemade taco shells are crispy every time.
• Restaurant-style at home – Ever wonder what makes restaurant taco shells so much better than the ones you buy at the store? This is the secret.
• Easy – no special cooking skills or tools are required; if you can turn on the stove, you can make these.
• 3-ingredient recipe – Pick up the tortillas at the grocery store and you probably have the other two ingredients on hand already.
• Kid-Approved – the kids love these taco shells because they are easy to bite into and chew and because it tastes like going out. My kids weren’t big fans of tacos until I started making my own taco shells.

Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• Small corn tortillas – You can use white or yellow tortillas.
• Light olive oil – Or use another high-heat cooking oil.
• Kosher salt – This enhances the flavor of the shells.

Pro Tip: To keep your tortillas from drying out, keep them covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.

How to Make Hard Taco Shells

Ready for the best hard taco shells you’ve ever had? Here’s what you’ll need to do.

1. Prepare – Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set a medium or large skillet with 1/4-inch of oil over medium heat. Have some kosher salt nearby in a pinch bowl.
2. Fry the tortillas – When the oil reaches 350ºF, slide in a tortilla and fry for 12 to 15 seconds, or until it’s golden and bubbly. Flip and use tongs to fold the tortilla in half, cooking 10 to 12 seconds on each side, or until golden brown.
3. Drain and season – Use the tongs to transfer the finished shell to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet and season with kosher salt immediately after frying so it sticks nicely to the taco shell. 
4. Repeat – Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.

Pro Tip: Have an extra pair of tongs on hand if your tortilla doesn’t fold easily. It makes it much easier and safer to handle if you have a second pair of tongs to help. 

Common Questions

How to Serve Hard Taco Shells

Here are some of our favorite ways to use these hard taco shells:

Make-Ahead

Crispy hard taco shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week if you want to make them ahead. They should not be frozen or refrigerated, or they’ll lose their crispy texture.

These homemade hard taco shells are the best you’ll ever have. They’re easy to make, super crunchy, and perfect for pairing with all of your favorite taco fillings.

More Mexican Recipes to Try

If you love this taco shell recipe, then you won’t want to miss these Mexican-inspired recipes.

Homemade Hard Taco Shells Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Homemade hard taco shells are key to restaurant-style tacos at home. They’re easy to make and taste amazing.

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Skill Level:

Easy

Cost to Make:

$3-$5

Keyword:

hard taco shells, hard tacos, homemade taco shells

Cuisine:

Mexican, Tex Mex

Course:

How to

Calories: 57

Servings: 20 shells

• 20
  small 6” corn tortillas (white or yellow)
• light olive oil or any high heat cooking oil, or 1⁄4” oil
• Kosher salt, for sprinkling fried shells

1. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Place a medium/large skillet over medium heat and add 1⁄4” of oil. Once the oil is hot (350 ̊F on a thermometer), carefully slide in a tortilla and fry for 12-15 seconds until golden and bubbly on the first side.

2. Flip and use tongs to immediately fold in half. Fry another 10-12 seconds per side or until golden brown then use tongs to transfer the taco shell to the prepared baking sheet.

3. Immediately sprinkle taco shells lightly with kosher salt. I find if you open them up a bit and set them upside-down to cool and drain on the paper towels, they will stay open a bit more, making them easier to fill and you don’t need a taco holder. Repeat with remaining tortillas until all shells are fried.

Once homemade hard taco shells are at room temperature, they can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or large zip bag for up to a week.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Hard Taco Shells Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 57
Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 0.1g1%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g

Sodium 12mg1%

Potassium 48mg1%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 0.2g0%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 1IU0%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 0.3mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.